Ikea kitchen quality - Any good?

Canucklehead

lobster123 wrote: »

Old thread I know but I need some advice regarding the size of the units from Ikea.

Do you have to buy Ikea appliances e.g. single oven or will any oven fit? Someone told me that it can be difficult to install alternative appliances....or were they just pulling my leg

Also, the worktops. I've read this thread and others and noted that it's best to buy an alternative. However, I need a wider worktop? Is that right? If so, where could I buy it from or does it have to be "custom" made?

I'm looking for a white kitchen. Any pictures out there of your own kitchen for inspiration please

Many thanks

Hi: if you've missed the link in my previous post check out the Ikea Fans website....lots of advice, photos etc there.

Tbh, we've have no probs fitting other appliances in Ikea units over the years or sourcing wider worktops.

Canucklehead

lobster123

Canucklehead wrote: »

Hi: if you've missed the link in my previous post check out the Ikea Fans website....lots of advice, photos etc there.

Tbh, we've have no probs fitting other appliances in Ikea units over the years or sourcing wider worktops.

Canucklehead

Thanks Canucklhead. Ikea it is then

ian_w_4

We've just fitted an Ikea kitchen and used Bosch appliances which fitted no problem. For the worktop I got a Formica Axiom breakfast bar (650mm) and cut it down to 616mm, the tiles over the top hide the cut edge.

From my experience if you're getting a fitter to install it for you make, sure they've done an Ikea kitchen before and are happy doing them. My fitter (was told from day 1 it would be an Ikea kitchen) spent the whole time !!!!!ing about how much hassle Ikea units are and how much easier Howdens are. Was taking a lot longer to fit than expected and lost my rag with him in the end. Kicked him off the job when he started rushing things and bodging it.

lobster123

ian_w wrote: »

We've just fitted an Ikea kitchen and used Bosch appliances which fitted no problem. For the worktop I got a Formica Axiom breakfast bar (650mm) and cut it down to 616mm, the tiles over the top hide the cut edge.

From my experience if you're getting a fitter to install it for you make, sure they've done an Ikea kitchen before and are happy doing them. My fitter (was told from day 1 it would be an Ikea kitchen) spent the whole time !!!!!ing about how much hassle Ikea units are and how much easier Howdens are. Was taking a lot longer to fit than expected and lost my rag with him in the end. Kicked him off the job when he started rushing things and bodging it.

Hi, thanks for the update. But what is the problem with fitting the kitchens exactly. There seems to be quite a few threads about this.......thanks

ian_w_4

They're just different to the 'standard'. Not rocket science by any means but anything 'off piste' that requires a bit of thinking is the end of the world, apparently.

Main sticking point is the lack of a service void at the back of the base units- the cupboards go all the way to the back. This means you have to run your plumbing/gas underneath, or like me a combination of inside the cupboards (dishwasher plumbing) and chased into the wall (gas).

Another gripe was the method of hanging the wall units. Usually a rail is fitted to the wall and the cupboards hang off it. In Ikeas case they're just screwed to the wall so it's more difficult for one man to do on his own. It seems that the American spec kitchens use the rail method, not sure why we don't get it in Europe.

As I said nothing really difficult, just needs a bit of forethought. Anyone who's done an Ikea kitchen before will know and should be prepared to deal with it. If you're planning on doing it yourself then read up on ikeafans.com and talk to the designers in the Ikea shop if you're not sure about anything.

namecheck

My daughter - in London - has recently had an IKEA kitchen fitted, by IKEA fitters. They were brilliant and the kitchen looks fantastic.
The fitting could have cost less through an independent kitchen fitter but she did not have any recommendations for anyone locally.

Kevstir

Me and my dad fitted our gloss red ikea kitchen 4 years ago, fitting it was a piece of cake, any joiner/kitchen fitter Should have no problem fitting them, yeah they have no service void at the back but for a tradesman that Shouldnt pose to much of a prob, if it is a prob then their not good enough to fit the kitchen , me and my dad done ok and we had never fitted a kitchen before, the only bit we got a joiner for was to install the worktop, he asked who fitted the kitchen , told him we did, he was impressed, said we had done a better job that most of the kitchen fitter work he's seen, we were surprised as it really wasn't hard, as long as its level there really wasn't much to it, always gets me when I see badly done kitchens.

Anyway 4 years on and it still looks good and everything works, only gripe I would say we had was with the way the cabinets are hung on the wall, just basically screwed to the wall , I would defo buy an ikea kitchen again but use normal adjustable brackets for the wall cabinets next time.

Kev

Eenymeeny

ian_w wrote: »

We've just fitted an Ikea kitchen and used Bosch appliances which fitted no problem. For the worktop I got a Formica Axiom breakfast bar (650mm) and cut it down to 616mm, the tiles over the top hide the cut edge.

From my experience if you're getting a fitter to install it for you make, sure they've done an Ikea kitchen before and are happy doing them. My fitter (was told from day 1 it would be an Ikea kitchen) spent the whole time !!!!!ing about how much hassle Ikea units are and how much easier Howdens are. Was taking a lot longer to fit than expected and lost my rag with him in the end. Kicked him off the job when he started rushing things and bodging it.

I'd second that! We had a friend of OH who was brought in to hurry the job up as he was a kitchen fitter. The only problems we had were when he thought that he knew better and didn't read the instructions! (Cut side panels to the size of the wall cabinets instead of extending them to height of mouldings and extending side panels to the floor as 'that's what the good makes did') I got OH to cut them in after he'd left as I thought that it made a dirt trap!

fannyanna

I know this is an old thread but I'm looking at putting an Ikea kitchen in a house that I'm currently buying and I'm a little confused about something.

I like the Tidaholm cupboards but obviously don't want the white carcass to be visible. So I understand you use cover panels. Now for the (potentially silly) questions:

1) I can't seem to see a cover panel on the Ikea website that will go with the Tidaholm doors. Is there something and I'm just missing it?

2) How do the cover panels work? Do you just add it to the part you're looking to cover or do you use the cover panel to form part of the carcass?

ic

fannyanna wrote: »

I know this is an old thread but I'm looking at putting an Ikea kitchen in a house that I'm currently buying and I'm a little confused about something.

I like the Tidaholm cupboards but obviously don't want the white carcass to be visible. So I understand you use cover panels. Now for the (potentially silly) questions:

1) I can't seem to see a cover panel on the Ikea website that will go with the Tidaholm doors. Is there something and I'm just missing it?

2) How do the cover panels work? Do you just add it to the part you're looking to cover or do you use the cover panel to form part of the carcass?

You probably use the oak veneer cover perfekt cover panels: http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/10034448/

They bolt to the side of the carcass to cover it, rather than replace any part of it. You screw into the panel from inside the unit (screws provided with the panel), so on the outside there are no visible fixings.